A bill making its way through the California state legislature would criminalize "substantial disorder" by attendees at school board meetings, in what critics say is an attempt to crack down on parents' opposition to transgender and racial ideology in curricula.

SB 596, introduced by State Sen. Anthony Portantino (D-Glendale), would expand an existing law that punishes those who cause "substantial disorder" in schools to include school board meetings as well. As the state legislative counsel's digest explains:

This bill would specify, for purposes of the above-described offense, that "substantial disorder" includes substantial disorder at any meeting of the governing board of a school district, the governing body of a charter school, a county board of education, or the State Board of Education. The bill would define a "school employee" as any employee or official of a school district, a charter school, a county office of education, a county board of education, the state board, or the State Department of Education. To the extent the bill expands the scope of an existing crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.